Don't tell dad.

And I didn't.  Not right then anyway. 

The day before he'd given a lecture on the proper use of soap.  This included a one pump guideline and a reprimand for emptying half of our new green apple soap canister into the sink. 

When I gasped at this scene the next day she looked me straight in the eye and said, "don't tell dad."  Technically he hadn't specified how many soap pumps would be appropriate for washing ones legs.

Of course, the sink was also full of soap again.  We reiterated the one pump rule (and then moved the soap to a place she couldn't reach).  Sometimes, knowing you were wrong is enough. 

There was a time where my mom didn't tell my dad.  Maybe that's what I was thinking...

Thanks mom :) 

Meal Plan

I already know I'll have a busy week being that I'm helping at VBS.  I've simplified by using pre-fab'ed marinades and dressings.  But the bread?  I'm still planning on fitting that in fresh.  It's getting better all the time.   

Monday:  Bella Bruschetta Salad with toasted baugette
Tuesday:  BBQ chicken marinaded in salad dressing, fresh corn and bbq'd veggies.  Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream for dessert. 
Wednesady:  Beach BBQ with the Harders! 
Thursday:  BBQ Salmon, Wild rice, BBQ aspargus
Friday:  Pizza Bread  (I use pizza filling in this recipe)
Sat:   BBQ pork fajita (Tenderloin on BBQ, saute'd onions and peppers, fajita fixings), ceasar salad


I have close to billion bananas in my freezer so I'm planning to make a double batch of banana bread.  One for me, one for my freezer and 2 for my baby bearing neighbors. 

Being that my meal plan is built around food I have in the freezer and pantry, my grocery list for the week literally has 7 items on it.  That's efficient and cost effective grocery shopping!   (I should probably go to Superstore and spend all my extra time and money in the clothing department...)

It doesn't smell beautiful.

I learn from experience.  I now know for sure that you cannot make a hard boiled egg in the microwave.

I also now know that once I've promptly cleaned up the gallon of spilled milk I should also immediately wash the rags.  3 wash/dry cycles later and every rag and bib I own is still saturated with the stench of rotten milk.

The only beautiful thing is that my husband is monitoring the smell project as though it were his mistake, re-doing the laundry over and over without complaint.  And that - is sort of beautiful. 

Bread debacle

Dough makes me nervous.  I'm not so skilled with batters, doughs or pastries.  I have a block I'm trying to overcome so I'm experimenting.  Turns out there are some quite simple bread recipes, but leave it to me to screw it up from time to time. 

Yesterday I attempted a french bread pizza bun.  It was a blend of recipes from those cooking mennonite girls.  French Bread mixed with Swiss Cordon Bleu with a touch of Calzone thrown in. 

So many recipes blended together is bound to be a disaster but I just can't follow one recipe for the life of me. 

I made the dough as specified and attempted the swiss cordon bleu method of presentation -- but instead of ham/swiss etc. - I did pizza toppings. 

It was so pretty I had to stop and take a picture.  Classic pizza toppings on Tim's half.  Fresh mozza, tomato, basil and oregano on mine...

But then it all went wrong.  At this point on I sliced the dough from the filling to the outside of the pan in one inch strips with the intention of layering the strips from side to side over the filling.  Sounds simple.  Looked simple, but...

One of the recipes included parchment paper on the pan.  It might have been for the chicken I was considering making.  It definitely was not meant for the dough.  The dough stuck and the parchment ripped as I ungracefully tried to peel my dough strips off it to braid my bread.  I seriously wondered how much parchment paper we'd ingest with dinner as I peeled tiny bits of wax paper off of my pizza bread.  I considered starting over.  It just...could have been better.

What a mess.  My mothers kitchen would never look like this. 

But you know what:

It may not have been perfect, but despite the parchment fiasco, it tasted (and even looked) pretty good.   

Promoting Peace.

I've just ran head first into temper tantrum land.  Recently we battled to leave the house.  She was unimpressed with her outfit, and by unimpressed I mean raging on the floor screaming for her pink pants which was confusing because she had her pink pants on.  But they were the wrong pink pants.  I have peace on my mind, but it was justice I was thinking about in that moment. 

What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8


I lean toward 'fairness' in umpiring sibling/cousin/playmate debates.  I'm more comfortable with justice then mercy. I tout turns like they're the answer to household woes. I noticed lately that this isn't every mothers go-to strategy. I know a mom who is raising the 3 most exceptionally kind children I've ever met. Recently, on a joint family outing, I noted that when it came to bickering about music or the how to best share the sole water bottle in the vehicle - she promoted peace. While I was busy devising a fair dispute settling strategy she'd already dealt with it by asking one to give in to the other. How does she make this decision? I couldn't quite figure it out.

She is gentle, and they obey her. She has taught them to keep the peace. That sometimes it's okay to give in, fair or not, for the sake of another. In the process she's teaching her children to love, to put another ahead of themselves, to sacrifice what won't really hurt that much. She's a good mom. I could do with adding her peace-making tool to my kit.

After sitting on the question for awhile, how does she decide?, I think I've figured it out. She decides based on who seems to care more. Whoever cares most, wins.

I gravitate toward the justice side, but I've felt God moving me in the direction of gentleness. This means being slower to speak. Choosing my words carefully (difficult for an extrovert), and taking opportunities to sacrifice when it doesn't really matter. Teaching her to stand up for justice will come more naturally to me.  Today, I commit to promote peace in our home. To teach a way of sacrifice when the sacrifice means more to someone else.

Ribbons

The only ribbon that stays in my toddlers hair secures around her head with a cord lock, one of these:

 

I bought one like this off etsy about a year ago to see how it was put together.  The research cost me $14.99, and I got around to making my own about a year later.  Now we have a drawer full of them, at about .50 cents a piece. 

Easy to secure with no pulling, pinching or cajoling necessary.  Best yet, they stay put through the most rigorous 2 year old activities, car seat rides, birthday parties, the church nursery, you name it.  They're so versatile, we can both get away with wearing them.  Though I'm prone to leaving the hearts and stripes for her. 

Supplies needed:

• 
  
  Ribbon (the ribbon retreat is a great site with wholesale prices)
• 
  
  Cord Locks (ebay or Joannes Fabrics)
• 
  
  Masking tape
• 
  
  Silicone (Home Hardware)
• 
  
  Popsicle stick (or other knife/utensil you don't care about)

After generously snipping the ribbons (they can be 'pruned' later) lay them upside down on a masking tape tray.  Run a strip of silicone along the backs and smear it out with a popsicle stick.  Don't be intimidated by the silicone dispenser shown below, silicone also comes in easy squeeze tubes, this is just what we happened to have.  Let it dry overnight.

WHY SILICONE?  This keeps the ribbon from slipping off and makes it more difficult for curious little hands to nudge it off kilter.  My $14.99 dollar version didn't include this and even walking made it slip off. 

Now your ribbon ends are ready to be shoved through the locks, for an easy, adjustable and snug fit that almost any child will let you secure. 

Ingredient Challenge

Broccoli Rabe (Tim spotted it in my grocery bag this week and read the label before I could tear it away from him.  I assured him it was as close to broccoli as asparagus and he's agreed to eat it...)

Hearts of Palm

I heart hearts of palm.  Here's a salad for the record books.  My last ingredient challenge was this almost non-heard of ingredient and wow, what a salad topper it is.  It's found in the canned food section and reminds me of water chestnuts, but saltier with a more sinewy texture.  I chopped it finely and sprinkled it generously over our salad.  This scrumptious side dish sat next to grilled stuffed chicken breast and fresh bread.  This dinner sounds complicated, but the only complicated part really is being organized enough the have the ingredients.  Here's the recipe(s):

Salad:  A bed of lettuce topped with cucumber, split cherry tomaotes and avocado and drizzled with a creamy garlic dressing.

Creamy Garlic Dressing:

1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons oil

Directions:  Combine salt and garlic in small bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to form a paste. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour.

This made enough for this evenings salad, with enough left over to store in an air tight container for the rest of the week. 

Pan Fried Shrimp
TIP:  I buy frozen shrimp when it comes on 2 for 1.  It's often not peeled or deveined but a small price to pay for really cheap shrimp.  It's ready in my freezer to fanici-fy a salad on a moments notice.   

Sprinkle shrimp with coriander, cumin and oregano.  Pan fry 3-4 minutes on each side on med in 2tbsp of heated olive oil.  

I prepared the chicken, shrimp, salad dressing in the afternoon while she slept.  Just before dinner all I had left to do was  toss the chicken packets on the grill and throw the salad together.  I think I'd made the bread the day before.  It was extra delicious because Tim was so impressed with the fanciness of it all, when in fact it was really simple.       

back and forth

After a week of finding my child too interesting to post about anything else, I've decided to do two different blogs.  One about my family and one to keep track of my projects.  Think my kid/life is super interesting?   Email me at timandheidi@shaw.ca and I'll send you the link to my 'other' blog so you can keep up with my stories about my (is it just me or is she super cute) kid.   

Stories like how this morning she sang the abc's at the top of her lungs in the produce department and how later she tried to convince me to put her down for her nap in the car. 

People who previously followed ... same address. 
Instead of stories like that ... at diy you'll find projects like this instead.

diy antiperspirant

why ... why ... would I make my own deodorant?  Refer to points #1,2,3 and 4 of my "do it yourself?" page for reasons. 

Who hasn't at some point felt uncomfortable with the aluminum compound put into antiperspirants that works to reduce the production of sweat (not just mask the smell like deodorant).  Any number of natural medicine sites suspects a link between this, I-just-won't-live-without-it part of my hygiene routine, and breast cancer/Alzheimer's/general underarm irritation.  What doesn't cause those things?  I don't know.  But I'll risk it rather than be the smelly girl.  I don't want to be that kid. 

Everyone knows deodorant doesn't mask anything, unless you happen to be born blissfully free of eccrine glands.  Even less likely to work than deodorant?  Natural deodorant. 

and who's ever heard of a natural antiperspirant?  I HAVE!!! 

So here's the scoop.  I haven't perfected the 'scent' part yet, but I have tested this recipe on my prone to dampness pits and it works!  I've even insisted hubby put his nose into my underarm and he gave me the stamp of approval.  So here it is:

Into a small sealable container mix:
1tbsp baking soda
6tbsp corn starch

apply to clean armpits with a powder brush.  Next spray on scent of your choice.  I've been using an old body spray over this, but I'm working on perfecting my own scented recipe.  I like that it doesn't smell like deodorant.  It just smells like whatever I want it to.  The only catch is that your pits need to be clean which is problematic on those (numerous) days I'm too lazy to shower.  On day two I use baby wipes before powdering up (if I have it I even splash on moisturizing rose water toner before I move ahead- recipe forthcoming).  It's just not strong enough to cover up a couple days worth of stink. 

It held up during all regular activities and even worked pretty well on a heart rate raising walk.  The only miss was under a polyester shirt all day -- but what deodorant works under polyester.   So that's my diy for the day. 

I might be raising the most Christian child ever.

She's pretty sure that every time we get in the car we're going to 'church' and as far as she's concerned every book that's not hers in the house is a Bible. 

Baby Einstein

We're usually too busy watching The Wiggles to watch Baby Einstein, but this morning I was inspired to put it on.  Her favorite scene by far:

The menu.  She was more then a little bothered when I hit play, but actual tears were shed during this inappropriate-for-young eyes vignette:

The puppet pigs.  In the mud.  Upsetting.  Obviously.  Cleanliness is unusally important to this 21month old. 

Meal planning is my friend

My goal is to go grocery shopping once a week.  In order to make this happen I need a plan.  (My plan didn't work out so well last week.  I flushed as the grocery packer boy said to me - weren't you here yesterday?)  Nothing makes more difference in my week then my meal plan.   It requires sitting down for half and hour or so and looking at our schedule for the upcoming week then planning our meals accordingly.  With our schedule posted on family board (meal and activities) I avoid overbooking myself and I never wonder what's for dinner.  

This has become my schedule/menu board:

Here are my ten tips for a successful meal plan: 

1. Scan cupboards and fridge for food that's in danger of expiring.  That can of beans I bought 2 months ago and didn't use turns into next weeks meal project. 
2. Plan quick meals for rushed nights.
3. Remain flexible.  To hot to turn the oven on or something else comes up, toss what's in the fridge into the freezer and switch the meals around. 
4. Plan for the number of meals eaten at home on average.  I plan five meals week, we almost always end up somewhere else for 1 or 2 dinners. 
5. Have a "quickie" meal on stand-by just in case no one invites us over :) 
6. Write out my plan and include where the recipes are.  I can't tell you how many times I have grocery listed with an online source only to find that 3 days later I have no idea where the recipe is. 
7. Don't give up on planning when it feels like none of it worked.  No matter how good the plan is, I'm bound to periodically miss that the recipe was a 2hour bake time not 20min.  Oops.
8. Schedule time to plan.  A good weeks schedule and thoroughly checked grocery list takes about 1hr to complete.   It's become one of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities. 
9. Don't get too ambitious.  I challenge myself once (or twice) a week (but I often end up regretting the #2) and I always make sure my challenging meals show up on days I have time to enjoy the process.  
10. Include baked goods.  I never seem to remember my good intentions of baking fresh bread or muffins for a particular day unless I write it down. 

Planning somehow makes my whole week prettier, more relaxing and more productive all at once.  I've been practicing this on and off for years, but have gotten really good at it since...I've had nothing else to manage.  I didn't reliably remember to take meat out of the freezer before, let alone to marinade it.  I knew I'd gotten better at this when yesterday a family friend stopped by and spontaneously stayed for lunch ... then dinner.  May I quote her?

"This is the most gourmet meal home cooked meal I've had in who knows how long.  Can I get the marinade recipe?"  (lemon thyme)

It was one of my 'easy' meals.  Literally meat from the freezer (frozen with marinade) defrosted and thrown on the grill.  Sided with grilled mushrooms (doesn't get easier) and coleslaw.  I had planned to make something else, but when company came I adjusted.  It felt so, organized.  Like, how my mom must feel all the time.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'm getting awesome.

Lawnmower

This lawnmower pop'er has gotten more mileage then any other lawnmower in the neighborhood. 

Good gift Jen :)  

Outing

On Sunday afternoon we "hiked" up bridal falls. 

When Magdelyn saw the water she screamed 'turtle!'  (See, she's looking for them) But alas, there were no turtles.  I explained that the water was moving too fast for the turtles and that they'd all been washed to the duck park.  She then insisted we immediately go and find them (she started to truck down the hill saying duck park). I told her we'd go 'tomorrow' (she doesn't really understand tomorrow does she?).  Duck park were her first words on Monday morning.  Apparently she does understand tomorrow.    So off to the duck park we headed to find turtles.   

And turtles we found. 

And after all the hoopla about the turtles she was annoyed with me for dragging her over to see them (notice in the picture above she's refusing to look at them).  She was much more interested in chasing the hissing

Canadian Geese.

And, Tim would like me to mention that he was an integral part of the Bridal Falls adventure.  Integral.  Absolutely. 

The end.

Excuse to Iron?

That's right.  I said it.  And I was only 80% kidding.  I do, sort of, like to iron if I can make whatever I'm ironing smell like lavender mint linen water at the same time.  Linen Water.  Who needs febreeze when I can use this diy linen water recipe as linen spray, room spray, couch and carpet freshener, and since I keep it in my bedroom I often spray our bed while I'm making it up.  Mmmm ... fresh sheets even when they're not fresh.  Tricky.   

and yes mom, I make my bed.

I wish you could smell it, but here's the recipe for my DIY Linen Water:

Dump the following into a spray bottle (dollar store) and shake before each use

1/4c Vodka

3c water (distilled if you happen to have it kicking around - I certainly don't)

100 drops of Lavender essential oil

5-10 drops of peppermint, rosemary or basil essential oil

You can tell from the vodka bottle how much linen water I must go through.  I really like to iron. 

One Problem

With going public is that I don't want my name "Heidi ..." to be searchable (previously I didn't care because my blog was private).  I've taken the last name off of my site and profile but when I google my own name my profile with the link to diy still comes up.  I've now disabled my profile in hopes that it drops off googles radar and I can open it back up.  Any other suggestions?

Nena

Our churcherecently shouted out a request for host families to put up members of African Childrens Choir.  What a perfect excuse to iron my sheets!  So I shouted back "I'll take them!"  And thus, I shared my home for one too short night with Ivy, Deborah and Faith all of whom Magdelyn quickly began calling "Nena."    

As an experienced billet (I've accumulated months worth of nights spent in random strangers homes) I know what makes a billeting experience stand out.

1.  A clean house

2.  Normal food (avoid casseroles)

3.  No socializing pressure

And so - I scrubbed my tubs and floors.  Washed and ironed my sheets (twice since Tim crawled into the freshend spare bed for a nap) and planned a kid friendly meal plus a trip to the park.  Magdelyn, as usual, was thrilled with company.  I suspect she'll be a hostess with the mostess herself one day. 

This is Ivy, who in particular had a special way with Magdelyn.

Sleeper

I swear she sleeps more now then a year ago.  It's almost hard to get anything done in the days.  My mom is picking us up in 10 minutes for an outing.  At 9am.  I'm about to go wake her up.  She naps at 1pm and Tim often gets her up when he gets home from work at 4:45.  She goes back to bed between 7-7:30, and it's a blue moon that she makes a peep before morning. 

Don't even bother asking what I did.  I have no tricks.  I just have a husband who loves to sleep - and apparently it's genetic.

Froggy

One day we had potty success.  I think she was as surprised as we were. 

We were hopeful.  Maybe potty training would be easier then I thought.  Unfortunately since then, froggy has gotten the most use of the potty. 

Today I told her she could have a candy if she pooped on the potty.  She was tempted and gave it a good  push or two.  Then she stood up and said "diaper.  no candy store." 

So, no candy store it was and I changed her poopy diaper 10 minutes later.